The present invention relates to an archery broadhead system or more specifically to an archery broadhead having primary blades that are axially offset from the central axis of the arrow and having cutting paths that are connected by a central bleeder blade. The archery broadhead of the present invention creating a “Z” shaped penetration.
Early in the evolution of hunting, man certainly recognized that a sharpened stick could be used to harvest an animal, and somewhere shortly thereafter, they found that by attaching a shaped stone point to the stick, a larger more lethal opening could be inflicted. This allowed them to more effectively harvest game, challenge larger animals and ultimately allow the species of man to survive. This record is clearly recorded in petroglyphs, rock painting and the numberless obsidian, slate and flint arrowheads scattered across the globe. The obsidian points of Neolithic man and the American Indians are the ancient predecessors of the modern broadhead.
Modern two blade broadhead points are typically triangular in shape with the point in front and extending back toward the arrow shaft. The broadhead blades are razor sharp and approximately two inches long and an inch wide at the base, this shape allows for maximum penetration into the animals vital organs; the planer blades slicing through blood vessel and veins and opening a large wound path which allows the animal to “bleed out” quickly and die with minimal suffering. However, since the two blade broadhead creates a substantially planer cutting path, the blades may enter the animal aligned parallel with surface of an organ or, length of a vein, and may pass very close to the vital structure without actually cutting into the structure and creating the necessary bleeding for a quick kill. Because of this issue, there are broadhead points that have three or four fixed blades, or replaceable “bleeder blades”, which create an off plane cutting path to intercept vital structures as the arrow penetrates the animal.
Also, when analyzing broadhead cutting paths and effectiveness, it logically occurs that a wider broadhead will create a larger cutting path, with a higher likelihood of intercepting vital structures. However, there are limitations to broadhead width, if a broadhead becomes too wide the surface area of the broadhead will have a propensity to steer the arrow and create a less accurate or even unpredictable flight. To overcome this, the industry has introduced numerous mechanical broadhead points, having one or more blades that retract against the broadhead body or ferrule and mechanically extend to wide cutting width once the arrow impacts the target, such as the broadhead point of US Patent Application 20140155202, filed Mar. 15, 2013 by Young. However, the limitations of this type of broadhead include durability once the moving blades have contacted a target, difficulty in manufacture and overall cost of the broadhead.
The durability issue also arises when a broadhead point strikes a heavy bone in the animal. Most blades or points will slice through rib bones and will cause a heavy bone such a leg bone or hip to fracture. These strikes may be effective at stopping a large animal but will cause a broadhead with replaceable blades to come apart, leaving a lost blade or portion of blade in meat that is intended for consumption and again broken blades are a cost consideration. Also, if a bone is struck on entry and the replaceable blades are broken off, the remaining ferrule point will no longer effectively cut a wound channel as the arrow penetrates and the wounded animal may be lost. There are some heavy cast or forged broadhead points that are designed to break through bone, such as, the point of U.S. Pat. No. 8,771,113, filed Feb. 5, 2013 issued to Patton. Weight versus the overall size and cutting path of the broadhead may become an issue.
What is needed is an archery broadhead system that creates an effective cutting path, has effective penetration, accurate, easily manufactured and durable.